More engaged couples are choosing an independent wedding celebrant…. Here’s why!

You’ve said yes, and you may have enjoyed some time in the engaged bubble, or perhaps you’ve jumped headfirst into the world of wedding planning. If you’ve never been married before, navigating a process that’s unfamiliar to you can lead to overwhelm. And that’s before you even consider the vast number of options available for how you can get married.

Emily Taylor, a fantastic wedding planner, has written a blog post on the first things you should decide on when you start planning, and I highly recommend you take a look here. It can really help you prioritise your tasks and get excited about what’s to come.

Part of those initial stages includes deciding what you want the ceremony to look like. This decision will impact which venue you can marry in.

• Priest = Church

• Registrar = Venue with a wedding license

• Celebrant = Anywhere (yes, you read that right!)

  
  

With a celebrant, you arrange with the council to sign the legal paperwork separately, so you have the freedom to do all the fun stuff wherever suits you. We can create a ceremony laced with personality and excitement.

Some people haven’t even heard of independent wedding celebrants. I like to call us the fun third option that many engaged couples and some suppliers don’t know about—or certainly don’t talk about. However, we are on the rise. Yay!

For hundreds of years, couples have tried to mould themselves into a wedding ceremony-shaped box that they don’t necessarily fit into. A religious wedding might involve hymns, long religious passages, and the risk of guests bursting into flames while crossing the threshold.

Some couples opt for a registrar ceremony, where two people from the council come out (or you go to a council venue). They read a standard script with little or no personalisation, interview you beforehand in the style of Trevor McDonald, and keep the formalities on the stuffier side.

Then we have our fun third option—independent wedding celebrants! We come in all shapes and sizes, but our job is to work with you to create something personal, emotional, fun, and laid-back. It doesn’t mean we have to swing from chandeliers or have a camel parade (though we can do that if you want!). What it does give you is options.

So, why are celebrants on the rise?

Quite simply, we offer choice, personalisation, inclusion, and diversity. Celebrants write an original script for each couple, learn all about your love story, your family, and how you got to the point of saying "I do," and weave that into the ceremony.

I’ve heard some disheartening stories from couples who've experienced misgendering throughout their registrar ceremony, making them feel uncomfortable and tarnishing the wedding. I want you and your guests to feel safe in the space, and misgendering would never happen with me! By the time we get to your vows, we’ll be like old friends—whether you’re nervous, emotional, or excited.

Your wedding day should be all about you and your partner choosing exactly what you want your day to look like, rather than doing something you think you should do! If you and your partner have mixed heritage, we can blend those traditions together and create something magical. This could include rituals from your heritage, readings that incorporate your religion, or something I’ve designed that draws on all of these elements, making it deeply personal for both of you.

Ashleigh The Sunshine Celebrant - Wellington Wood Norfolk. Photo by Vicky Plum

I’ve never been married, but what prompted me to train as a celebrant was attending numerous weddings and thinking how amazing it would be to hear all about the couple and their story. Some friends had a celebrant, and I could tell there was something special about it—but I didn’t know what! At that point, I didn’t even know there were different types of ceremonies. I also secretly thought about how much I’d love to stand up there officiating weddings, and, if I’m completely honest, how good I thought I’d be at it.

That was the seed planted. As a chronic overachiever and determined soul, my mind was made up—the independent celebrant life was calling me!

If you're still unsure about how much I can add to your ceremony, get in touch now, and we can have a chat. I can answer any of your questions and, more importantly, hear all about your wedding plans—my favourite topic of discussion!